


Could Stay Awhile

by DarkAliceLilith



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:55:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29449638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAliceLilith/pseuds/DarkAliceLilith
Summary: Richie took a deep breath. “Was-is-are we on a date?”
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 7
Kudos: 52





	Could Stay Awhile

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tea__Bee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tea__Bee/gifts).



Richie stood by the coffee maker as it made a pot, his foot tapping nervously. Eddie had showed up on his doorstep Thursday and was currently still asleep in the guest room, still adjusting to the slight time change.

It had been a surprise, opening the door and finding Eddie on the other side with a suitcase. He said he had found the first flight out of New York after he signed the papers and quickly packed up. Richie had let him in, unable to process the fact that Eddie was there with him and still couldn’t three days later. 

The coffee maker finished and Richie poured himself a cup and it was as he was adding spoonful after spoonful of sugar that Eddie came walking in and Richie nearly spilled the sugar everywhere, forcing himself to look away from a sleepy Eddie.

He busied himself with cleaning what he did spill up as Eddie poured himself a cup, clad in a pair of exercise shorts and tank. 

“Morning, Rich,” Eddie mumbled as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Morning,” Richie said, throwing open the fridge door to grab the milk and not stare at Eddie. 

He poured milk in and started to stir, aware that Eddie was staring at him and he finally looked up to see him frowning. Richie froze. “What?”

“Should I not have come?”

“What?”

“You’ve been acting weird, I thought maybe you didn’t want me here.”

“No, I do want you here,” Richie said. “I just-I…” he trailed off for a moment before sighing and saying, “I guess, even though I told you you were welcome anytime, I didn’t expect you to actually come out here.”

“Why?”

Richie capped the milk and put it away, keeping his gaze from Eddie. “I don’t know. I just didn’t expect anyone to actually keep in contact with me.”

Eddie was at his side and Richie felt his heart skip a beat when Eddie laid a hand on his arm. “You’re my best friend, Richie. Our lost years didn’t change that because I may have forgotten you, but I still missed you every damn day of my life since leaving Derry.” 

Richie opened and closed his mouth a few times before closing the fridge and walking back over to his coffee. “I missed you too, Eds.”

“Wanna help me make breakfast?”

Richie nodded, his stomach growling and making them both laugh. 

He had promised to take Eddie out to walk around the city, but they ended up on the beach. It was too cold to swim, but still nice for walks. During their walk, Eddie had threaded his arm through Richie’s and they walked like that, Richie’s heart threatening to burst out of his chest.

They were no stranger to touching. Even as kids they were all over each other and his heart still beat just as fast now as it did then. They stopped walking and looked out at the ocean, Eddie leaning on him then and Richie without thinking, wrapped his arm around Eddie’s waist, pulling him even closer. 

They stood like that for a while, just taking in the sight until Eddie whispered, “Can I take you to dinner?”

Richie looked down at Eddie who was looking up at him with a soft smile. Richie smiled back and nodded. “Yeah, I would love that.”

Eddie’s hand fell down to Richie’s and threaded them together, pulling him back towards Richie’s car. 

“I’m uh-I’m glad you said yes cause I already made reservations.”

Richie laughed as he started up the car and started to pull out of the parking spot. “And where are we going?”

“That place you were talking about. The Italian one? It sounded good and I wanted to try it too.”

Richie smiled. “Alrighty. What time are they expecting us?”

Eddie glanced at his watch, looking a little nervous. “About eight. So soon.”

“I can’t believe you called in a reservation. They’re not usually very busy. Then again the owner and I get along so maybe she just makes sure I get a table or something. She’s a very sweet old lady.”

He knew he was starting to ramble, but a glance at Eddie showed him just leaning against the window and smiling at him. Richie quickly looked back at the road feeling a blush form over his face. How was his crush on his best friend still so strong after all this time?

They arrived and Richie was surprised to see the diner packed. “Oh, maybe having a reservation was a good idea.”

“I like to be prepared,” Eddie said, his hand slipping into Richie’s once more. Richie looked down at their joined hands for a second, his heart racing once more. “This okay?”

Richie just nodded and Eddie led him inside, neither of them noticing the sign announcing specials for couples for the night on the door. 

“Reservation for Kaspbrak,” Eddie told the hostess and before anyone could say anything else, a booming voice called out Richie’s name. 

“Richard Tozier!” They turned to see a woman rushing towards them with a pair of menus. “I did not expect to see you tonight! I did not know you had a partner! Why didn’t you tell me?” She bustled them towards a candlelight table in a corner. “Sit. Sit. What can I get you boys tonight? Wine?”

“Wine sounds fine, thank you, Dorothy,” Richie said, looking at Eddie who looked red even with the low light. He was staring at the specials sign on the table. “Eds? You want wine?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, wine sounds fine.”

Dorothy patted Richie’s shoulder. “I will bring out my best wine for you, Richard and your boyfriend. I’ll be right back.”

“Oh he’s not-“

Dorothy left before he could finish his sentence and Richie looked back at Eddie who shoved the sign towards Richie who saw it said Valentine’s Day couple’s specials. He felt his heart flip.

“I was so busy with the fucking divorce I didn’t realize Valentine’s Day was coming up.”

“To be far, I try to forget it cause I’m always single for it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, this is kinda hilarious. Plus she thinks we’re together so we can get a couples special!” Eddie frowned for a second before grabbing the menu and opening it. “Do you wanna leave? We can order in.”

“I wanted to take you to dinner, so this is me taking you to dinner, even if it’s Valentine’s Day.”

“I still say we take from the couples specials,” Richie said, reading through them. “It’s cute.”

“Uh-huh.”

Richie frowned and set the specials aside and waited for Dorothy to come back with their wine.

Dinner proved to be awkward between them, with Dorothy asking them how long they had been together to which Eddie lied and said it was very recent. 

They didn’t stay for dessert and the ride back was quiet until Richie spotted his favorite ice cream shop and parked. “You didn’t get to try her cheesecake so I’m gonna get something else I think you’ll like instead.”

“You don’t have to-“

“You bought dinner and now I’m buying dessert,” Richie said, opening the car door. “I’ll be back.”

He went and ordered them each a cone before coming back out to the car. He felt nervous and had for a while now. “Here, eat that before it melts.”

Eddie stared at it for a moment before taking a lick, satisfied, Richie started on his own.

“This is good,” Eddie commented.

“Fuck yeah it’s good. They have the best ice cream around here.”

They sat in silence as they ate their ice cream, the radio set to an 80s station and quietly playing a song that he and Eddie used to dance around to in Richie’s bedroom when they were kids. 

Richie kept glancing at Eddie, finding himself following Eddie’s tongue as it moved around the cone and he shifted a bit in his seat. 

Eddie seemed to notice his eyes on him and turned, a spot of ice cream on his nose. Richie reached out and wiped it off before sucking it off his finger, Eddie’s eyes zeroing in on his mouth. He froze momentarily thinking over the day they had.

Eddie leaning on him. Eddie taking his hand multiple times. Eddie taking him to dinner.

“Eds?” Richie asked, popping the last of his cone into his mouth. 

“What?”

Richie took a deep breath. “Was-is-are we on a date?”

Eddie’s whole face went red before he slowly nodded, looking down at his cone as it melted over his hand. “I uh-this is a pretty fucking cliche first date isn’t it? I’m sorry. I just-I just wanted to have a nice night and then to realize it was Valentine’s Day. I just-I hadn’t planned very well.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I-I didn’t even realize. God, Eds, we should have a do over. A proper first date.”

Eddie looked up from his ice cream, looking surprised. “You uh-you really want that?”

Richie nodded. “Yeah.”

Eddie smiled. “I need to throw this out and I’ll be right back.” Then the door was opened and closed as Eddie ran out. It took a few minutes but Eddie returned, looking a little flustered and Richie knew he had been put there pacing, having caught sight of it in the rearview mirror, but before he could say anything, Eddie was grabbing him and pulling him in for a kiss. 

Richie sat there shocked for a moment before cupping Eddie’s face and kissing him back. They exchanged soft slow kisses and Richie moving his arms to hold Eddie the best he could, his heart thudding fast. 

“People are gonna get suspicious if my windows fog up.”

“We’re not doing anything wrong.”

Richie smiled. “No. No we’re not.”

“Wanna keep kissing?”

Richie nodded. “Yeah.” He pecked Eddie on the lips. “Happy Valentines Day, Eddie my love.”

Eddie just smiled and kissed him back, and Richie knew right away that he would never tire of kissing him.


End file.
